Archived: Helping at Home

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

We reviewed care plans and daily records which were person centred, tailored to people’s individual needs and wishes and evidenced involvement of people, relatives and relevant professionals ensuring people were at the centre of their care.

Staff understood the importance of person centred care. One staff member said it was “Doing something for someone their way, how they want and when they want it. Focuses on them and what they like. It is about them rather than you.”

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. Care plans contained detailed specific information regarding people’s diverse health and care needs.

The provider was flexible in supporting choice and understood the importance of supporting people to be part of the community and took steps to support people to do this. The care manager provided examples of how they supported this. One example was where they had assisted a client to a coffee morning, and said, “It’s not just about providing care, it’s about creating meaningful experiences, and building connections.”

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

The provider was aware of their duty to provide information in a format suited to individual’s needs. For example, in larger print for someone who has a visual impairment. At this time the provider was not supporting anyone who required any information in an accessible format, but they did consider people's communication needs. This included consideration for hearing and sight impairments which was reflected in people’s care plans. We discussed this with the provider who was looking into providing and implementing information following the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). AISis a legal rule that adult social care services must follow. It makes sure people with disabilities or sensory needs get information and communication support in a way they can understand.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

People knew how to give feedback about their experiences of care and support including how to raise any concerns or issues and could do so in a range of accessible ways. Some people had received satisfaction surveys or been asked for feedback, while others had informal conversations with staff about their care. Everyone said staff treated them with respect and the service was delivered in a professional manner. People and their family felt confident if they complained, they would be taken seriously and treated compassionately

When asked about raising complaints, one person said, “I can ring and talk to them [staff], no problem”.

This meant people were involved in development and improvement of the service and the care provided.

The provider made sure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

We saw that people had access to services outside of what was provided by Helping at Home. We reviewed communications and care plan information which evidenced that people were supported to access emergency care as well as other support, care and treatment, for example to see the district nurse.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

The provider understood that some people who received support were potentially more likely to experience inequalities in outcome or barriers to receiving care this was considered and explored by the provider.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

The leadership team understood the importance of supporting people with decisions about their future and were able to give examples of support they had provided people with at the end of their life. We saw details in care plans regarding people having advanced decision paperwork in place, for example a DNACPR. They understood the importance of supporting the person with respect and empathy and respecting people’s wishes.